February 6, 2008

I Have Sinned

Luke 14:15-24

Opening Words: As we begin the season of Lent let me ask you a question. Do you consider yourself a responsible person? When someone gives you a task, do you follow it through? Do you pay all your bills on time? Do you trust yourself with a credit card? Do you go to work everyday? Do you do your best everyday? Do the people in your life consider you a leader? Are the people in your life able to trust you with a secret? Do you consider yourself a self starter? Do you think it is alright to cheat if you know you won’t get caught? Do you think there is a shortage of responsible people in our society? Lent is a season for responsible people. It is a time to stop making excuses and start repenting. This evening’s Gospel lesson comes from the fourteenth chapter of Luke.

Luke 14:15-24 ¹⁵When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, "Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God."

    ¹⁶Jesus replied: "A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. ¹⁷At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.'

    ¹⁸"But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.'

    ¹⁹"Another said, 'I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.'

    ²⁰"Still another said, 'I just got married, so I can't come.'

    ²¹"The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.'

    ²²" 'Sir,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.'

²³"Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. ²⁴I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.' "

Have you heard the fable of the hare? It goes like this: A Hare was very popular with the other beasts. Each one claimed to be his friend. One day she heard the hounds approaching and hoped to escape them with the aid of her many friends. So, she went to the horse, and asked him to carry her away from the hounds on his back. But he declined, stating that he had important work to do for his master. "He felt sure," he said, "that all her other friends would come to her assistance." She then applied to the bull, and hoped that he would repel the hounds with his horns. The bull replied: "I am very sorry, but I have an appointment with a lady; but I feel sure that our friend the goat will do what you want." The goat, however, feared that his back might do her some harm if he took her upon it. The ram, he felt sure, was the proper friend to apply to. 

So she went to the ram and told him the case. The ram replied: "Another time, my dear friend. I do not like to interfere, as hounds have been known to eat sheep as well as hares." The Hare then applied, as a last hope, to the calf, who regretted that he was unable to help her, as he did not like to take the responsibility upon himself, as so many older persons than himself had declined the task. By this time the hounds were quite near, and the Hare took to her heels and luckily escaped.

What does that fable teach us? It teaches two things. First, it tells us not everyone who speaks of friendship is truly a friend. Second, it teaches us that excuses are useful. They give us the license to do the things we want to do and excuse us from doing the things we don’t want to do. Let me state the obvious.

We live in a society where excuse making has become an art form. Sometimes we make excuses with our words. Someone told me once he couldn’t come to church because the pews hurt his back. I saw him later sitting on the risers at a local high school basketball game! Sometimes we make excuses by using scapegoats. Adam blamed Eve for his sin! Sometimes we make excuses by blaming the past. How many people do you know who haven’t succeeded as an adult because of a painful childhood? Sometimes we make excuses by comparing ourselves to the world around us. How many times lately have you heard someone way, “It doesn’t matter! The times have changed!” The world has set the standard pretty low! God expects more out of you and me. We live in a society where excuse making has become an art form.

There is no room during the season of Lent for excuses. God expects us to be responsible with our lives. God expects us to be responsible with every aspect of our lives. Are you responsible with your sex life? Are you responsible with your finances? Are you responsible with your possessions? Are you responsible with your relationships? Are you responsible with your health? Are you taking the right pills at the right time? Are you staying on your diet? This is the most probing question. Are you responsible with your spiritual life? Are you becoming more like Jesus everyday?

This evening we heard the parable of the banquet read to us. Jesus originally told this parable to explain why God included the Gentiles in his plan of salvation. We use it this evening to ponder two divine truths. So if you are ready say, “Amen!” This is point number one.

God sees through our excuses.

In the parable for this evening a man prepares a great banquet. He intends to invite the elite of their society. When the meal is ready and the announcement is made, “Come and get it!” The invited guests don’t come. Instead of their physical presence, they offer excuses, two are professional in nature and the last is personal. Regardless, the end result is the same. The man who offered the invitation saw through the excuses. This is the point: God sees through our excuses! He expects us to be more like Jesus everyday! And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

God is more interested in forgiving us than hearing our excuses.

In the parable for this evening the man who prepared the feast was insulted by the excuses by the honored guests. His response is to invite the common people of the town and the countryside. He had every reason not to invite them but he knows it is impossible to have a party without people. This is the point: God is more interested in forgiving people than hearing excuses! He expects us to be more like Jesus everyday! And all of God’s people said, “Amen!” Let me end by telling you two stories. This is the first.

Lawyer and statesman Daniel Webster was a powerful orator who gave early evidence of his quick mind and way with words. One day Webster's father, who was to be absent from home, left Daniel and his brother Ezekiel specific work instructions. But on his return he found the task still undone, and questioned his sons about their idleness. "What have you been doing, Ezekiel?" he asked. "Nothing, sir." "Well, Daniel, what have you been doing?" "Helping Zeke, sir." This is the second.

Historians tells us when Queen Victoria was a child, she didn't know she was in line for the throne of England. Her instructors, trying to prepare her for the future, were frustrated because they couldn't motivate her. She just didn't take her studies seriously. Finally, her teachers decided to tell her that one day she would become the queen of England. Upon hearing this, Victoria quietly said, "Then I will be good." The realization that she had inherited this high calling gave her a sense of responsibility that profoundly affected her conduct from then on.

So what is your story? Are you “helping Zeke” or are you preparing to spend eternity with God? Are you practicing in this world what you are going to be doing in heaven for eternity? The time has come to stop making excusing and start living the life that God expects. Lent is a time to repent and receive God’s forgiveness. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”